Never before has man had such capacity to control his own environment, to end thirst and hunger, to conquer poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy and massive human misery. We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the worldor to make it the last.

ATTRIBUTION:

President JOHN F. KENNEDY, address before the General Assembly of the United Nations, New York City, September 20, 1963.Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1963, p. 696.